Irazu Volcano National Park
From Wiki Costa Rica
Is located at the Cordillera Volcanica Central, 31-km northeast of the city of Cartago. It was establish by means of organic law No. 1917 of the National Institute on July 30, 1955. The National Park service runs this park since 1970. It has an extension of 2.309 hectares.
This is an active volcano with a long history of eruptions and eruptive cycles. Is a very important hydrologic area, many rivers are born here that feed the Chirripó rivers, Reventazón river, Sarapiquí river and Grande de Tárcoles river.
The origin of the name is because of an Indian village that lives near the volcano called Iztarú, meaning mountain of tremor and thunder, but through the years, as a result of verbal communication it was changed to Irazú.
The park that includes this volcano covers 2309 hectareas, its highest point is 3432 meters (approxim. 10,300 feet) above sea level. There are two theories for the name “Irazu”, one being that it’s a combination of “ara” (point) and “tzu” (thunder), and the other being that it’s named after “Istaru”, a 16th century Indian palisade built in the nearby town of Cot. The park is remarkable because of its surreal lunar landscape. There are two main craters, one is called the “Diego de la Haya” crater that contains a strangely colored lake (some days it’s light green and others it’s red) and the other is 300 meters (900 feet) deep. Even the scarce and austere vegetation contributes to the other-worldly feeling of the place. Nevertheless, there are some species of animals that manage to live in this severe and rugged area - coyotes, tiger cats, long-tailed weasels and some species of birds like the clay-colored robins.
Another factor that contributes to the uniqueness and bizarre quality of the place, is the temperature. The average temperature is only 7.3ºC or 45ºF, but frosts aren’t uncommon, especially at night. It’s more pleasant to visit the park during the driest months of March or April, since the cold weather is enough to deal with. Luckily, there is a snack wagon near the entrance that provides hot coffee and chocolate as well as food. There are also bathroom facilities and picnic tables near the parking lot.
This national park fits into a half a day or a one-day itinerary, since long walks or other activities aren’t possible.
Even if you don’t plan to stay near the volcano, you can enjoy the delicious food at Bar Restaurant Linda Vista. As its name suggests, one can observe a breathtaking view from this restaurant, which is located at 2693 meters (8,000 feet); the owners boast about their restaurant being the highest one in all of Latin America! The quaint decoration includes an interesting collection of hundreds of business cards that are pinned to the walls. Several tour companies stop at this restaurant, but there’s always space for lonely travelers.
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Tips
If you plan to visit Cartago, be aware that on August 1st and 2nd, there is the annual pilgrimage to the Basilica de los Angeles, so the main highway will be blocked.
| Tip: To take a good picture you will need to stay at least a few hours because of the changing weather. |
Cost and working hours
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Cost: Adults $7 |
| Open hours: 8.00 - 16:30. |
Videos
Road from Irazu
Would you recommend visiting Irazú Volcano National Park? (3 votes)
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| Irazú Volcano | |
| Region | Cartago |
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Irazú Volcano in Google Maps |
| Latitude and longitud for GPS: 9.9823759, -83.8496304 To use Google Earth, cut and paste the coordinates into the search bar. You can also open this location with Maps.Google.com |
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Categories: Tourism | National Park | Cartago | Irazú
